Carrying Gwen to her doorstep was, for Peter, the equivalent of an extreme cross-country trek with a full rucksack.
While the Horse Talisman could expel pain and abnormal status effects, it didn't directly increase his raw stamina, nor could it eliminate natural physiological needs like exhaustion, hunger, or thirst.
Consequently, despite his magical protection, those few hundred meters left Peter panting like a dog.
Ding-dong—
Finally, Peter freed a trembling hand and managed to press the Stacys' doorbell. A moment later, the door creaked open to reveal an elderly woman with silver hair: Pauline Stacy, Gwen's grandmother. Gwen's mother had passed away years ago, leaving her to be raised by her father and grandmother.
When Grandma Pauline saw her unconscious granddaughter slumped over Peter's back, her face went pale.
"Oh, good heavens! What happened to Gwen?!" Her voice crackled with panic as she reached out to check the girl.
"Grandma Pauline, please don't worry," Peter wheezed, struggling to explain between gasps for air. "Gwen is just... she's exhausted. She fell asleep on the bus ride back."
"Exhausted?" Old Pauline shot Peter a suspicious look before pressing a hand to Gwen's forehead.
Her temperature was normal, her breathing was steady and deep, and there was even a faint, peaceful trace of a smile on her porcelain-white face. Seeing that her granddaughter was perfectly fine, Pauline let out a long sigh, her tense nerves finally relaxing.
But then, a sense of profound weirdness set in.
As the daughter of the NYPD Captain, Gwen had been put through physical training by her father since she was a child to ensure she'd never be bullied.
While she wasn't a professional athlete, she was a standout in school sports with the energy of a hyperactive rabbit. How could a simple field trip to Oscorp leave her this drained?
Furthermore...
Old Pauline's gaze darted back and forth between Peter and Gwen, her eyes turning increasingly meaningful.
The way Gwen clung to Peter's back was incredibly intimate and natural. And Peter... though he looked like he was about to collapse, the look in his eyes was undeniably tender.
In a flash, a bold thought surfaced in her mind. Is my granddaughter faking sleep to trick this 'wooden block' of a boy into carrying her?
At the thought, the corners of Pauline's mouth twitched into an uncontrollable smirk. That's my girl!
She helped Peter guide Gwen into her bedroom and onto her soft bed, all while eyeing Peter with the look one might reserve for a prospective grandson-in-law.
"Good boy, you've worked hard today."
"Would you like to stay for some hot cocoa? I'm baking an apple pie; it'll be ready any minute."
Faced with the old lady's overwhelming hospitality, Peter felt completely out of his element. "No, thank you, Grandma Pauline. I... I should probably get going. I don't want to disturb you and Gwen."
His mind was currently occupied with how to fix his "weakling" physique; he really wasn't in the mood for tea and crumpets.
"I see..." The old lady wore a look of polite disappointment. "Well then, be careful on your way home."
She watched Peter's heavy footsteps as he walked away, her "matchmaker" smile wider than ever.
Peter might have a modest background and a skinny frame, but he was brilliant, kind-hearted, and had a strong sense of justice.
He was the kind of boy who would graduate from a top university and change his life. Having her granddaughter date someone like Peter was far better than some of the "bad boy" types hanging around.
Still plotting her granddaughter's romantic future, the old lady turned back into Gwen's room. Looking at the sleeping beauty on the bed, she whispered tentatively:
"Gwen?"
"Sweetheart, stop pretending. Peter's gone."
However, the girl remained unresponsive, her breathing rhythmic and sweet. Pauline froze. She's actually asleep?
She shook her head with a wry smile and tucked the covers in. What a strange day. Just a tour of Oscorp and she's out for the count?
Gwen felt like she was having a very long, very vivid dream.
In the dream, she felt as if she were soaking in a warm spring. Countless tiny bubbles wrapped around her body, and every cell in her being was cheering. Peter's silhouette flickered in the dream, his voice gentle and steady, smoothing away all her anxiety.
"Don't be afraid, Gwen. I've got you."
It felt so safe, so sweet, that she didn't want to wake up.
"Gwen! Time for dinner!"
It wasn't until her father's familiar shout echoed from outside the door that Gwen snapped awake like a startled cat. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. It was 7:00 PM!
She had slept the entire afternoon?
Gwen moved to sit up, but she immediately noticed something was wrong. The blanket... had "sealed" her in!
This wasn't a joke about being cozy. The thin quilt felt like it had been glued to her skin with industrial adhesive, clinging tightly to her arms and body!
"Huh?"
Gwen let out a confused hum and instinctively pushed against the bed to kick the blanket off.
Rrrrrip! CRASH!
The crisp sound of fabric tearing was followed by the agonized groan of wood failing. Under her feet, the soft cotton quilt was as fragile as tissue paper, a massive hole appearing instantly. More absurdly, the sturdy wooden leg of her bed had snapped clean off under her struggle!
Gwen froze. W-What is happening?
Startled by the chaos, her body instinctively recoiled. But that tiny movement acted like a released spring—she shot upward, hurtling toward the ceiling!
"Ah!"
A short gasp escaped her, but the expected pain of hitting the ceiling didn't come. Instead, she felt an eerie sense of weightlessness followed by a "sticky" sensation.
She opened her eyes and saw her reflection in the floor-length mirror. Her eyes bulged. She was... crouched on all fours like a gecko, firmly stuck to the bedroom ceiling!
Knock, knock, knock!
"Gwen? Are you okay? What was that noise?" George's concerned voice came from the other side of the door.
"It's... nothing, Dad! I'm fine!" Gwen squeaked, her voice cracking with tension. "I just... had a nightmare and fell out of bed!"
While she frantically tried to appease her father, her mind raced back to the events before she fell asleep. Oscorp... the high-tech exhibits... and... that tiny, colorful spider that bit her!
A wild, impossible thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.
Could it be... I've gained the abilities of a spider?!